Medical device with collapse-resistant liner and method of making same

Abstract

A medical device for guiding through anatomy, such as a catheter or guidewire, with a tubular body that has been slotted to enhance bending flexibility, and a polymer liner with an anti-collapsing structure, and a method of making a medical device with a kink-resistant corrugated tubular member and an anti-collapsing structure. Anti collapsing structures may be helical or annular, and may be wire, such as ribbon wire, grooves in the liner, corrugations, or a braid. Liners may be bonded to the anti-collapsing structure, or may have two layers, with the anti-collapsing structure between the layers. Corrugations may be formed between sections of the anti-collapsing ‘structure with heat, pressure, stretching, compression, a mold, or a combination thereof, and may extend inward or outward. Shape or wall thickness may vary along the length to provide a varying bending stiffness. Slots may be formed in groups of two, three, or more, and adjacent groups may be rotated about the axis forming a helical pattern.

Description

[0001]This application is the U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT / US0324604 filed Aug. 5, 2003, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 213,123 filed on Aug. 5, 2002, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, this application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 213,123 filed on Aug. 5, 2002.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to medical devices for use within bodies and methods for making and using such devices. The medical devices may be, for example, catheters, guide wires (guidewires), or hybrids of catheters and guidewires.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Catheter guide wires (guidewires) have been used to “lead” or “guide” catheters to desired target locations in animal or human anatomy. This may be done via a body's lumen, for example such as traversing luminal spaces defined by the vasculature to the target location. Typical guidewires may be from about 135 ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides medical devices with flexible tubular members that have excellent bending flexibility, torsional strength, and can navigate through tortuous vasculature. The devices have anti-collapsing structures that prevent the tubular member from collapsing or kinking, and are made from a nitinol material. The anti-collapsing structures may include corrugations, wires, or other structures that enhance the flexibility of the tubular member while still providing necessary strength. The devices may also have slots and slits that enhance bending flexibility, and may be made using a mold. The invention also provides methods for making these medical devices with flexible tubular members."

Problems solved by technology

Platinum has been used for the coil spring because it provides good fluoroscopic or other radiological imaging during navigation of the guidewire in the body, and it is generally biocompatible.

This, in turn, may lead to a more difficult and prolonged procedure, or, more seriously, failure to access the desired anatomy and thus a failed procedure.

However, if the guidewire does not also have good torque characteristics (torsional stiffness), the user will not be able to rotate the distal tip of the guidewire as required by twisting the proximal end.

Prior art catheter guidewires that are flexible in bending typically have very poor torsion transmission characteristics or torsional stiffness.

The result may be that the end of the guidewire flops around, but cannot easily be turned or rotated within a catheter or vessel.

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